Fifth-wheel



(ModeL) J.-B. RUTHERFORD.

FIFTH WHEEL. No. 819,510. Patented June 9, 1885.

- N. PETERS. Phaio-Ulhographer, Walhingion. no

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN B. RUTHERFORD, OF NETAWAKA, KANSAS.

FlFTH- wH EEL.

QPECIFIQATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,510, dated June 9, 1885. Application filed May 20, 1884. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. RUTHERFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Netawaka, in the county of Jackson and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Wheels, and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Primarily, this invention has for its object to prevent the twisting action, endangering the breakage of the parts, that is liable to take place in the use of fifth-wheels of the ordinary form as a wheel drops or enters into a rut or cavity in the street orroad, besides lessening friction and allowing the parts to move with greater facility and freedom from undue wear; and the invention consists of two socketed disks or plates with an interposed spherical or ball bearing and means connecting the same with the reach, said disks being applied to the front spring and axle, whereby the lower plate is adapted to vibrate freely on the upper one and both of them turn on the ball, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan View of my invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 4 is a view of a modification thereof in plan, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof.

In carrying out my invention I employ two circular plates or disks, A A, the lower one being adapted to fit within the space bound by a circular or circumferential flange or rim, a, depending from the under side of the upper plate. Each plate is provided or cast with an oblong projecting bearing-surface, b, which has at its center, and extending a short distance beyond said center each way, parallel flanges b, the purpose of which bearing-surface and flanges is to suitably effect the seathorizontally or upwardly projecting studs or projections entering segmental slots formed in the peripheral flange or rim a of the upper plate or disk. Vithin a concavity or socket, c, in its lower plate, A, and a similar socket, c, of the upper plate or disk, A, is disposed a ball or sphere, B, said plates bearing upon each other at their edges and upon the ball or sphere, thereby providing an independent movable bearing for the upper plate, while at the same time it is connected to the lower plate, or, in other words, to constitute a uni versal or ball-and-socket connection between the plates, whereby when one of the wheels drops into a rut or cavity in the street or road both plates and the spring secured to the upper one thereof are permitted to take of the movement thus imparted to the axle, to which they are, as aforesaid, connected, thus effectually preventing the twisting of the parts, while the lower plate is also permitted to turn in a horizontal plane, as is requisite in turning curves or corners, independently of its upper fellow plate, with greatly less friction, fa cility, and freedom from undue wear.

To. the ball or sphere is connected, or with it is formed, the reach-coupling, said coupling extending through a tube or casing, d, cast with the upper plate, to effect the connection of the reach therewith, while in order to permit of the requisite movement of the lower plate independently of or without contact with the said coupling casing or casting said lower axle-plate, A, is cast or provided with a recess or depression, 6, of triangular form.

In the modification as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the disks or plates A A are replaced by wheels or skeleton disks, one of the spokes of the upper fixed wheel being somewhat enlarged and made hollow to receive and hold said coupling, while the lower axle or moving wheel is recessed or reduced at its rim to permit of the play of the enlarged reach-receiving spoke of the upper wheel.

It will be observed that this device is capable of two movements which are independent of each other-namely, the horizontal rotation of the lower plate upon the ball or sphere in turning corners and out of the line of draft,

I and the vertical tilting movement which takes place when one of the wheels drops into or enters a rut, the plates and the springsecured thereto partaking of the movement thereby imparted to the axle.

Modifications in details of construction may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of my invention,

' the essential features of which will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connect-ion with the drawings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 0 presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. RUTHERFORD.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. BUTTER, G. W. Tom). 

